1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and a computer program product.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique has been already known that relates to an auto color select (hereinafter, referred to as “ACS”) function for automatically determining whether an image input by a scanner is a color image or a monochrome image to perform suitable processing according to the determination result.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-268379 discloses an invention related to an image processing device having the ACS function. Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-268379 discloses a configuration including an image reading unit that reads an image of an original and outputs image data, an ACS determining unit that determines whether the original is a color original or a monochrome original based on the image data, an input module for manually inputting whether the original is a color original or a monochrome original from a panel surface, and a condition changing module that changes a determination condition in the ACS determining unit according to a result input with the input module.
In the invention disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-268379, ACS determination can be customized because whether a read original selected by a user is a color image or a monochrome image is input manually. However, an operation is complicated because it is necessary to manually input whether the selected original is a color image or a monochrome image.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-268379, only change of an ACS determination condition according to the entire color level detected in the read original used to customize the ACS determination condition is performed. Due to this, there is no versatility for originals having different printing contents. Specifically, there is a variation between the read originals due to color tones of paper whites of the used originals and a scanner characteristic, so that a problem such as the following is caused. For example, when originals including color originals and monochrome originals are copied in an ACS mode, some of the monochrome originals may be determined as a color original, so that an image is not appropriately processed.
In view of such a situation, there is a need to provide an image processing device that improves determination accuracy in color auto selection and improves convenience of an operation.